Tank construction



Oct. 17, 1939.

R. L. uss 2,176,306

TANK CONSTRUCTION Filed April 10, 1935 Tatentecl Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TANK CONSTRUCTION Ralph L. Kuss, Joliet,

I1l., assignor to Farrell Manufacturing Company, J oliet, 111., a corpora- The present invention relates to combined looking and hinge means, and more particularly to such means for tanks and the like.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide novel locking and hinge means for a closure member, which means can be economically manufactured and sold and which is readily and easily manipulated for closing and opening the closure member.

The present invention also has as an object the idea of providing novel locking means for a closure member which provides an effective seal between a closure member and a member forming the opening closed thereby, such as is found in a vehicle tank or the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel locking means for a closure member which means is combined with novel hinge means whereby the cover can be moved in a plurality of directions.

Still another object within the purview of the present invention is to provide a novel combined locking and hinge means for a closure member movable in a plurality of directions and wherein suitable means is provided for holding the locking means in a plurality of positions, such, for example, as when the cover is in its locked position or when raised vertically.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide novel means for connecting a closure member to a supporting member, such novel means permitting relative movement between the members.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide novel mechanism includinglocking and hinge means for a cover whereby the cover may be moved from a closed position with respect to an opening in a tank or the like either horizontally or vertically.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantages are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan View of a manhole for a tank or the like, with novel looking and hinge means made in accordance with the present invention associated therewith, a portion of such means being broken away to disclose the construction thereof more in detail;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in cross-section of the manhole and associated locking and hinge means therefor which is disclosed in Figure 1 of the draw- 11138;

1936, Serial No. 73,619

Figure 3 is a detached view in cross-section of the locking and hinge means taken in the plane represented by line 3-3 of Figure 2 of the draw- Figure 4 is a fragmentary View taken in the plane represented by line 4-4 of Figure 1 of the drawings and disclosing an element of the locking means in its unlocked position; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4 of the drawing disclosing the locking elements and cover in their raised position.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, an embodiment selected to illustrate the present invention, and referred to generally as 2, is shown in association with a cover 4 for a manhole 6, this manhole 6 comprisingan upstanding circular member 8 connected as at 10 and 12 as by means of welding or the like to a tank shell 14 and a tank lagging 16, between which may be provided any suitable insulating material 18, such as cork or the like. The upper edge of the sheet member 8 is covered by a pad or gasket 20 of any suitable resilient material, such as rubber or the like, the same being formed with a groove into which the member 8 extends, this gasket serving to provide a fluid-tight joint between the member 8 and the cover 4. If desired, a peep hole with closure and locking mechanism 5 may be provided in the cover 4.

The present invention is directed more in particular to the combined locking and hinge mechanism generally referred to as 2 and to the connection 22 between the cover 4 and the same. Such locking and hinge means includes a looking arm or member 24 which is connected by means of a bolt 26 to a cover 4 adjacent its central portion. This bolt 26 is provided with a head 28 and a shank 30 which extends downwardly through an opening in the arm 24, which opening has a minimum diameter adjacent the longitudinal center of the arm 24 which is increased upwardly and downwardly toward the upper and lower surfaces of the arm, the opening being somewhat larger than the shank 32 to permit relative movement between the cover 4 and the arm 24. Mounted in the upper and lower surfaces of the arm 24 are inserts 34 and 36 which have openings conforming to the opening in the arm 24. These inserts 34 and 36 are provided with spherical surfaces cooperating with complementary surfaces provided on the members 38 and 40 which embrace the shank of the bolt, the member 38 being disposed between the insert 34 and the head 28, while the member 40 is disposed between the insert 36 and the nut 42. It

will be clearly appreciated that the shank 38 of the bolt is threaded as disclosed and threadedly engages a suitable opening in the closure member or cover 4, and that this shank may be of any desired length in order to regulate the position of the cover in respect to the arm 24. It is also to be clearly understood that, although the inserts 34 and 36 have been shown as sepa-- rately formed and fitted into suitable recesses in the upper and lower surfaces of the arm 24, nevertheless the same may be formed integral and as a part of the arm.

Connected adjacent one end of the arm 24 is a locking lug or latch 44 which is pivoted thereto as by means of a bolt or the like 46. This looking lug or latch 44 is provided with the flange 46 which may be readily grasped or engaged for moving the same with respect to the arm about the pivot bolt 46. This lug is also provided with a shoulder 50 which slopes upwardly with respect to a horizontal plane and which is adapted to engage a similar or complementary shoulder 52 formed as a part of the locking lug 54 which is suitably connected to the member 8, the locking lug 54 being provided with spaced flanges such as 56 embracing the shoulder 58 of the looking lug 44 to prevent lateral displacement thereof.

As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3, the opposite end of the locking arm 24 is formed with a bifurcation having bifurcated arms or parts 58 and 68 which are spaced apart to receive the hinge lug 62. The parts 58 and 68 are provided with slots 64 and 66 which are of similar construction and are formed in the shape of an inverted L, as shown in Figure 2. This end of the arm is pivotally and loosely mounted upon a pivot bolt 68 which passes through the hinge lug 62, the pivot bolt 68 passing through the oppositely disposed inverted L-shaped slots 64 and 66 of the parts 58 and 68 of the arm. On the outer face of the parts 58 and 68 of the arm are provided the grooves 16 and 12 which are open adjacent the hinge lug 62 and terminate in spaced relation to the open end at a distance which will be more clearly defined hereinafter.

Associated with the locking member 24 and the hinge element 62 is a second locking member 14 which, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, comprises a central bodyportion 16 disposed to rest upon the arm 24 as at 18 and laterally of which are the wing members and 82 which serve to be grasped by an operator for movement thereof. Extending laterally from the body member 16 substantially normal to the members 86 and 82 are spaced arms 84 and 86 which are provided with openings such as 88 through which the pivot bolt 68 passes and which provide a pivotal mounting for the member 14. The arms 84 and 86 are provided with circular bosses 90 and 92 extending inwardly therefrom, respectively, and being received within the grooves 10 and 12 and cooperating with the opposed shoulders or bearing surfaces thereof. As will be noted, the axis of rotation of the member '14 is about the axis of the pivot bolt 68, and as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, the boss-es 90 and 92 are formed with a common axis, referred to as 94, and which is offset downwardly and to the right of the axis of the pivot bolt 68.

The locking and hinge means of the present invention is so constructed that the cover 4 may be moved horizontally from the opening defined by member 8 or raised vertically from. this opening. In order to provide for horizontal movement of the cover 4 the hinge lug'62, as shownin Figures 2, 4 and 5, is formed with a circular hinge element 96 embracing the hing-e bolt 98, the circular hinge element being mounted upon the hinge element I80 secured to the member 8 in any desired manner and which provides securing means for the bolt 98 and a support for the hinge lug 62 at all times.

When the cover 4 is in its locked position, the locking and hinge means of the present invention has the elements thereof in the position as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. At this time the shoulder 50 of lug 48 engages the shoulder 52 of lug 54 and the locking member 24 is in. its horizontal position. Inasmuch as the axis of the bosses 86 and 92 which act as cams is offset downwardly and to the right of the axis of the pivot bolt 88, these cams cause the bifurcated end of locking member 24 to be moved downwardly and these cams also serve to maintain the locking position of the member 24 inasmuch as one end of the locking member is held by the interlocking engagement of lugs 44 and 52 and the other end is held in position by the cams 96 and 92 of member 14.

Assume, for example, that it is desired to remove the cover 4 from the manhole opening horizontally. In the first instance, locking member 14 would be raised by exerting an upward pressure on either one or both of the wing members 86 and 82 until the same are moved to the position as shown in Figure 4 or to the position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2-. During the pivotal movement of the member 14 about the pivot bolt 68, the earns 98 and 92 are moved toward the closed end of the slots '16 and 12. Because of the offset relation of the axis of the cams with respect to the axis of the pivot bolt 68, such movement will cause a raising of the bifurcated end of arm 24. This movement about the bolt 28 which acts as a fulcrum point causes a downward movement of the end of the arm 24 to which the locking member 44 is attached. This downward movement of this part of the arm lowers shoulder 56 to such a point that the same may be disengaged from the shoulder 52 by an upward pivotal movement of the locking lug 44. After shoulder 56 has been disengaged from shoulder 52, the arm 24 may be moved, together with looking member 14 (which is in 'the position as shown in Figure 4) about bolt 68. After fluid has been removed from or discharged into the tank and it is desired to close the cover'4, the arm 24 may again be swung into a position where lug 44 is opposite lug 54 and the locking member 74 may then be lowered into its horizontal locking position, during which time the cams 96 and 92 effect a lowering of the bifurcated end of the arm 24 which, through the bolt 28 which acts as a fulcrum, causes an upward movement of the locking member 44 to effect an interlocking engagement of shoulders 58 and 52 whereby the cover 4 is effectively held in locked or closed position. It will be clearly understood that an upward and downward movement ofthe bifurcated end of locking member 24 is permitted by virtue of the fact that the inverted L-shaped slots provided in the parts 58 and 68 have elongated portions disposed substantially vertically.

Assume now that the cover and lockingmeans are in the position as shown in Figure 2 and it is desired to open the tank by raising the cover vertically. In this case, the locking member 14 is rotated either into an upright position, as shown in Figure 4, or if desired the same may be moved into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. As in the first example above explained, the cam members and 92 e'flecta raising of the bifurcated end of locking member 24 permitting a disengagement of shoulders 59 and 52. After the locking lug 44 is pivoted about the bolt 46, arm 24 may be raised into a vertical position, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing. This movement of the locking arm 24 is about the pivot bolt 68, which bolt enters that part of the slots normally in a horizontal position when the locking arm 24 is in the position as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. This permits a slight downward movement of the locking member 24' relative to the normal points about which the locking member 24 would normally pivot with respect to the pivot bolt 68.

It will be clearly apparent that inasmuch as the axis of the cams 90 and 92 of locking member 14 is oifset with respect to the axis of pivot bolt 68, and in view of the fact that'this axis is disposed between the pivot bolt 68 and the end of the slots 10 and 12, there is a tendency for locking member 14 to serve as means for holding the locking arm 24 in this raised or vertical position and to prevent downward movement of the cover.

When it is desired to close the manhole opening, downward pressure is exerted on a cover or locking arm 24 of an amount suificient to overcome the eccentric relation of the cams with respect to the arm24, after which the cover and arm may be lowered and the locking lug 44 disposed in .a position adapted to engage with lug 54. The locking member 14 may be moved downwardly into its normal horizontal locking position for effecting engagement of the shoulders 50 and 52 and for pressing the cover into association with a gasket 29 by moving the looking member 18 downwardly into its normal horizontal position.

It will be noted that because of the offset relation of the cams 90 and 92 with respect to the pivot bolt 88, there is a progressive movement of the cams inwardly of the grooves 10 and 12 toward the closed end thereof. These grooves 19 and 12 should be of sufficient length to allow a slight clearance between the same and the cams after the cams have moved into their maximum distance to the left of pivot bolt 68.

While I have herein described and upon the drawing shown illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a tank, the combination of a tank member having an opening, a hinge lug secured to said tank adjacent said opening and a locking lug secured to said tank in substantially opposite relation, a cover for said opening, a locking arm disposed above said cover and said cover being connected thereto, a locking lug pivotally connected to said arm adapted to interlock with said first-named locking lug, means mounted in said hinge lug providing a pivot for said arm, said arm having parts forming a bifurcation, said parts each having a slot loosely embracing said pivot whereby said arm is adapted to move relative to said pivot, said parts each having a groove adjacent said slot, and a latch member pivoted to said pivot and having cams disposed in said grooves, said cams having a common axis offset in relation to the axis of said pivot tending to hold said arm in a plurality of positions to prevent its displacement.

2. In a tank, the combination of a tank member having an opening, a hinge lug swingably connected to said tank adjacent said opening, a locking lug connected to said tank in substantially opposite relation thereto, a cover for said opening, a locking arm disposed above said cover and said cover being connected thereto for movement relative thereto, a locking lug pivotally connected to said arm and adapted to interlock with said first-named locking lug, means mounted in said hinge lug providing a pivot for said arm and to permit swinging of said arm with said hinge lug, said arm having parts forming a bifurcation, said parts each having a slot loosely embracing said pivot whereby said arm is adapted to move relative to said pivot, said parts each having a groove adjacent said slot, and a latch member pivoted to said pivot and having cams disposed in said grooves, said cams having a common axis offset in relation to the axis of said pivot tending to hold said arm in its locked position and in its unlocked position after movement about said pivot.

3. In combination, a receptacle having an opening, a closure for said opening, a locking member disposed on one side of said closure and said closure being connected thereto, means adjacent one end of said locking member for releasably locking said locking member with respect to said receptacle, hinge means in opposed relation to said first-named means and being provided with a pivot for the other end of said locking member, said locking member at said other end being provided with an elongated slot embracing said pivot, said locking member at said other end being provided with spaced shoulders, and cam means eccentrically mounted with respect to said pivot and engaging said shoulders for moving said other end of said locking member with respect to said pivot whereby said looking member is fulcrumed about its connection with said closure to seat and unseat said closure with respect to said receptacle when said releasable locking means is in operable position.

4. In combination, a receptacle having an opening, a closure for said opening, a locking member disposed on one side of said closure and said closure being connected thereto, means adjacent one end of said locking member for releasably locking said locking member with respect to said receptacle, hinge means in opposed relation to said first-named means and being provided with a pivot for the other end of said locking member, said locking member at said other end being provided with an elongated slot embracing said pivot, said locking member at said other end being provided with a groove presenting opposite bearing surfaces, and a cam member eccentrically mounted on said pivot and operable in said groove in engagement with said surfaces for moving said other end of said looking member with respect to said pivot whereby said locking member is fulcrumed about its connection with said closure to seat and unseat said closure with respect to said receptacle when said releasable locking means is in operable position.

5. In combination, a receptacle having an opening, a closure for said opening, a locking member disposed on one side of said closure and said closure being connected thereto, means adjacent one end of said locking member for releasably locking said locking member with respect to said receptacle, hinge means in opposed relation to said first-named means and being provided with a pivot for the other end of said 7 locking member, said locking member at its other end having spaced parts each provided with an elongated slot embracing said pivot, each of said parts having a groove provided with opposed bearing surfaces, a second locking member mounted on said pivot and extending inwardly of said other end of said first-named locking member and being provided with cam members received, respectively, in said grooves, said cam members having an'axis offset with respect to the axis of said pivot for moving said other end of said first-named locking member with respect to said pivot whereby said first-named locking member is fulcrumed about its connection with said closure to seat and unseat said closure with respect to said receptacle when said releasable locking means is in operable position.

6. In combination, a receptacle having an opening, a closure for said opening, a locking member disposed on one side of said closure and said closure being connected thereto, means adjacent one end of said locking member for releasably locking said locking member with respect to said receptacle, hinge means in opposed relation to said first-named means and being provided with a pivot for the other end of said locking member, said other end of said locking member having a slot and adjacently disposed spaced shoulders, means eccentrically mounted on said pivot and engageable with said shoulders for moving said other end of said locking member to fulcrum the same about its connection with said closure to seat and unseat said closure with respect to said receptacle when said releasable looking means is in Operable position, and said eccentric mounting of said means with respect to said pivot normally holding said locking member against movement with respect to said pivot when said locking member is in a plurality of positions.

'7. In combination, a receptacle having an opening, a closure for said opening, a locking member disposed on one side of said closure and said closure being connected thereto, means adjacent one end of said locking member for releasably locking said locking member with respect to said receptacle, hinge means in opposed relation to said first-named means and being provided with a pivot for the other end of said locking member, said other end of said locking member having an elongated slot provided with an ofi'set and adiacently disposed shoulders, means eccentrically mounted on said pivot and engageable with said shoulders for moving said other end of said locking member to fulcrum the same about its connection with said closure to seat and unseat said closure with respect to said receptacle when said releasable locking means is in operable position, said pivot being received by said offset when said locking member is in raised position whereby said eccentrically mounted means normally holds said locking member against movement with respect to said pivot.

8. In combination, a receptacle having an opening, a closure for said opening, a locking member disposed on one side of said closure and said closure being connected thereto, means adjacent one end of said locking member for releasably locking said locking member with respect to said receptacle, hinge means in opposed relation to said first-named means and being provided with a pivot for the other end of said locking member, said other end of said locking member having an elongated slot provided with an ofiset adjacent one end thereof and a groove providing spaced shoulders, a latch member pivoted to said pivot and having cam means disposed in said groove and cooperating with said shoulders and being eccentrically disposed in respect to said pivot for moving said other end of said locking member to fulcrum the same about its connection with said closure to seat and unseat said closure with respect to said receptacle when said releasable locking means is in operable position, said pivot being received by said oflset when said locking member is in raised position whereby said cam means normally holds said locking member against movement with respect to said pivot member.

9. In combination, a receptacle having an opening, a closure for said opening, a locking member disposed on one side of said closure and said closure being connected thereto, means adjacent one end of said locking member for releasably locking said locking member with respect to said receptacle, hinge means in opposed relation to said first-named means and being provided with a pivot for the other end of said locking member, said locking member at its other end having spaced parts each provided with an elongated slot embracing said pivot and having an offset, each of said parts having a groove provided with opposed bearing surfaces, a second locking member mounted on said pivot and extending inwardly of said other end of said firstnamed locking member and being provided with cam members received, respectively, in said grooves, said cam members having an axis ofiset with respect to the axis of said pivot for moving said other end of said first-named locking member with respect to said pivot whereby 

